Management and Business Analytics MSc

Oxford Brookes University

Business analytics focuses on the data and technology that enables fact-based decision-making. This module will guide you on how to use data extensively and how to perform statistical and quantitative analysis in order to drive business decisions and actions. You’ll learn how to conduct data preparation (cleaning and integration), pre-processing (standardisation and transformation), reduction (data selection), visualisation and modelling (choosing the right model and when to deploy it) before interpreting it to gain further insights from the data. The module will also demonstrate the use of several analytical tools and software. In addition, this module emphasises the importance of ethics and ethical practices when collecting and leveraging data in the business decision-making process.

Business Intelligence (BI) refers to technologies, applications, and practices for the collection, integration, analysis, and presentation of business information. The purpose of business intelligence is to support better business decision making. In this module, you’ll gain an understanding of the technology of BI and its application to an organisation’s strategies and goals. By using theory and knowledge, you’ll be equipped to extensively apply data and perform statistical and qualitative analyses that help drive business decisions and actions. You’ll also learn the business intelligence techniques and skills to understand, evaluate, and interpret business and performance metrics and tools. All of this will enable you to improve individual and organisational performance, which can be used to update organisational policies and procedures.

In this module, you’ll understand how to make decisions for businesses under uncertainty and risky conditions. You’ll critically evaluate and apply decision science frameworks while utilising knowledge acquired from the Business Intelligence module. You’ll also develop a critical understanding of how data can be used to simulate situations, which informs management decision making in a range of functions as well as how it creates strategic value. Throughout this module, you’ll be encouraged to engage with contemporary and ethical issues surrounding responsible decision making practices and you’ll engage with the organisational and wider environmental context in which these decisions are made.

This module will encourage you to develop a strong sense of self-awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses as effective leaders and team players. It will help you to develop and improve a range of definable skills which are pivotal to successful management practice and to effective leadership in particular. You’ll develop essential skills such as the confidence and ability to articulate your skills and attributes that are required for professional development, lifelong learning and employment. This module will also provide you with an opportunity to explore different leadership perspectives on ethics, EDI, sustainability, technology and change.

The final research project module is a 50 credit module and runs over two semesters. This module will provide an opportunity for you to undertake a substantial independent research project by applying and extending the streams of study, knowledge and practical skills gained in other modules. It’ll allow you to demonstrate a wide range of skills such as research, critical thinking, project planning, problem-solving and writing/oral skills. You’ll be able to choose from different research project options, providing you with the opportunity to explore in detail an area of particular interest or relevance. These options currently are Dissertation, Client Project, Integrated Business Research Project, and Business/Concept Development.

Management is the activity of getting things done with the aid of people and other resources. Working with human resources is a key element of this. And on this module, you'll develop a deep understanding of the practical art of managing change based on a theoretical understanding of organisational behaviour and leadership. Using theoretical concepts, this module enables you to build a comprehensive understanding of the emergent properties of organisations such as culture, politics and leadership. You'll also build practical skills to address the issues facing leaders and managers in contemporary, typically international, organisations.

This module prepares you for completing high quality, systematic business and management research, and equips you to be successful in your Final Research Project. You will learn how to undertake effective research, drawing upon a range of secondary and primary data sources, and will be introduced to a range of tools required for research including methodological issues, data collection techniques and study skills.

You’ll gain an understanding of how to examine data and use statistics to produce information that’ll help businesses to formulate strategies and make decisions. Statistics underlies business analytics and intelligence, making it a powerful tool for decision making. Essential concepts in business analytics and intelligence will be introduced, as well as statistical and econometrics concepts that are central to areas such as business analytics, data mining, data analytics, big data and artificial intelligence. You’ll also be encouraged to work with diverse datasets, as you’ll learn how to prepare these and test basic models of analytics.